One- Piece over-cap closure

ABSTRACT

An efficient one-piece cap-style closure device is hereby provided for re-covering a partially emptied cardboard frozen food container. The device is so obvious to operate, that no instruction is needed for immediate usage. The key functional element is the bonded inner lining of resilient material. When pressed down over the open end of the cardboard container, the lining forms a moderately tight fitting seal between the cap and the outer surface of the container. This permits handling and re-storing of the partially emptied container without mishap.

1. FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to closures for frozen food containers.

2. BACKGROUND

Many frozen juice products are available in the current marketplace. Such products are typically packaged in cylindrical cardboard or plastic containers. Access to the contents involves removal of a plastic strip which was incorporated in the closure process. The plastic strip holds the lid in place during transit, storage, and display. Once the plastic strip is removed, the lid is released. The plastic strip is obviously tamper-evident and cannot be replaced. Since partial consumption of the product is frequently desired, the remainder must either be re-covered or re-packaged for future use. However, no provision has been made to re-attach the lid to the container. An unrestrained lid may fall down among other articles stored in the freezer compartment. In the worst case, the lid could fall to the floor and possibly encounter unsanitary elements. This scenario is further exacerbated by partial thawing, rendering the container sticky and/or slippery to handle. Of the millions of such frozen products sold, the problem has undoubtedly frustrated many users, to the point where they discard smaller, but usable, portions. Some innovative users have found that the lid may be held in place by other means. One such novel method is to place the lid back on the container, and then hold the lid in place with a rubber band stretched from top to bottom. Another drastic measure is to cover the entire container with a plastic bag, then secure the plastic bag with a rubber band. Both are ingenious, to say the least, but awkward and time consuming.

3. DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

A search of prior art abounds in closures of numerous configurations, styles, and means. Of the many closures investigated, only one refers directly to frozen juice cardboard containers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,287 to Cargile, et al, broaches the subject, quote “Conventional containers for frozen juice concentrates have been constructed with cardboard sidewall and metallic end lids. This construction does not provide a container which is well suited for partial consumption. Furthermore, removal of the lid from the frozen container is not always without difficulty.” unquote The first part of the statement is true; the correction of which is the object of the present invention. The second part, alluding to the difficulty in removing the plastic strip, has been very obvious for some time and has been recently corrected on some containers by the inclusion of a pull-ring incorporated as part of the plastic release strip. Cargile makes no further comment on cardboard containers. Another over-cap closure means is revealed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,471 to Lowry. Lowry presents an over-cap means for paper (presumably including cardboard) containers. In accordance with the drawings and description, the over-cap must be used with containers fitted with an end ring member 17. Therefore, the “snap fit” of cap member 25 to end ring 17 form the predominate feature of the closure means. More could be said concerning this closure, but suffice it to show that the use of this closure means is limited to containers having this “snap fit” capability. Prior art is replete with means, methods and devices concerning container closures. All of which have some semblance of an effective closure. Many closures are fabricated as an integral part of their associated container, much like Cargile. As such, they are not independent entities. Many are multiple element closures. Others are “threaded-on” or “glue-on” devices. Following are typical examples of such closures:

U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,005 to Yoshida Class 220/359.2 U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,134 to Roth Class 220/359.2 U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,679 to Beck Class 220/270 U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,686 to Dutt Class 220/276 U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,878 to Lowry Class 229/5.5 U.S. Pat. No. 7,568,585 to Baughman Class 215/254.

Many additional references could have been cited, all having one aspect in common; that is; none are compatible with current cardboard frozen juice concentrate containers. In view of the problem being so prevalent, and the solution so simple, it is hardly understandable why the solution hasn't been forthcoming long ago.

4. OBJECTS

Accordingly, the objects of the present invention are:

To provide a simple, convenient, and inexpensive means of re-capping a cardboard frozen juice container wherein the contents were partially removed, and

To prevent the unintentional release of a loosened lid, resulting in possible exposure to unsanitary elements, and

To reduce the tendency to discard smaller, yet usable, portions of the container contents, and

To eliminate the frustration of the food preparer due to a seemingly minor, though disconcerting, sequence of events.

5. DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a one-piece over-cap closure, showing the major components.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the one-piece closure in position covering a cardboard container.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE FIGURES

-   10 Over-cap closure -   11 Closure compressible inner lining -   12 Cardboard container -   13 Closure knurled outer surface

6. DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION

A preferred embodiment of a frozen juice container closure, in accordance with my invention, is illustrated in FIG. 1. The perspective view shows a circular flanged body 10 having a compressible lining 11 bonded to the circumferential inner surface. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of closure 10 in position, surrounding the open end of container 12.

After the contents of said cardboard container 12 have been partially removed, the metallic factory lid is discarded. Getting ready to re-store said container 12 requires merely placing said closure 10 atop said cardboard container 12 and pressing downward until said closure 12 is firmly in place. Said compressible lining 11 forms a grip and seal between said closure 10 and said container 12 outer wall, eliminating dislodgment and leakage

7. SUMMARY, SCOPE, AND RAMIFICATIONS

Frozen juice products in cardboard containers are sold nationwide by millions. Doubtless, the problem of reattaching a loosened lid has been experienced many times over. The problem is very obvious, but not so the solution. Frustrated users have resorted to other means of keeping the lids in place during handling and re-storage, principally the rubber band solution. Perhaps the producer assumed that the entire contents would be consumed at once, or that the remainder would be discarded. If that were the case, no problem would exist. However, partial consumption is very frequently desired. The production cost of including a re-attachable lid is probably prohibitive. Thus, it all comes down to the need for a reasonably priced and effective closure means. Various mechanical restraining devices could easily be devised to hold the lid in place, but they would provide little leakage protection. Thus, the inexpensive plastic over-cap closure appears to be the most logical approach. Other closure means have been discussed under Prior Art. Many other types and styles of closures were investigated and appropriately ruled out; mainly for complexity as well as the production cost reasons. The references cited are typical of such closure devices; none of which are applicable to frozen food cardboard containers. A simple non-threaded plastic “friction-fit” device has two basic limitations. First, is that of keeping the “fit” tight with varying diameters. Secondly, the greater the disparity of diameters, the greater the leakage possibility. The addition of the lining described herein has solved both shortcomings by providing a leak resistant seal and providing a gripping capability. This results in a novel closure which is easy to use, inexpensive, leak resistant, and mechanically stable. Although the present invention was initiated by the need for a frozen food cardboard container closure, it is not limited to that narrow field. Since the key element is the inner lining, it could be reasonably be expected to function with plastic, glass, or metallic containers as well. For some specialized applications, the inner lining could be replaced with an “O” ring design. Furthermore, by mere dimensional changes, the closure principle, herein described, could be utilized with a variety of shapes of containers. Thus the scope of usage and adaptability is without bounds The most widely used closure of all time is the simple threaded-on cap closure. It is conceivable therefore that with some adaptation of thread design, such a closure would be feasible for use with cardboard containers. 

1. A one-piece closure for placement over an open end of a frozen food cardboard container, comprising: (a) a lid that includes a planar member and a lip, and wherein said lip extends downward from a perimeter of said planar member and wherein said lip is disposed in a generally perpendicular direction with respect to said planar member, and wherein a cross-sectional shape taken below said planar member and through said lip includes a shape that corresponds with a cross-sectional shape of an end of said frozen food cardboard container, and wherein said end includes an open end after a planar covering of said frozen food cardboard container has been removed from said end of said frozen food cardboard container; and (b) a compressible inner lining disposed along an inside surface of said lip; wherein when said one-piece closure is disposed over said open end of said frozen food cardboard container, and wherein said compressible inner lining provides a seal between an outside surface of said frozen food cardboard container and said one-piece closure that secures said one-piece closure in position.
 2. The closure of claim 1 wherein said planar member and said lip are formed of a plastic and wherein said cross-sectional shape taken below said planar member and through said lip includes a circular shape.
 3. The closure of claim 1 wherein said compressible inner lining includes a resilient lining that is bonded to said inside surface of said lip, and wherein said inside surface of said lip includes an inner circumferential surface.
 4. The closure of claim 3 wherein said resilient lining secures said closure to said open end of said frozen food cardboard container.
 5. The closure of claim 3 wherein said resilient lining includes a seal that is effective in preventing leakage of a content from said frozen food cardboard container when said closure is disposed over said open end.
 6. The closure of claim 1 wherein said frozen food container includes a container that includes a material at said open end that is formed of a plastic, glass, or metallic material.
 7. The closure of claim 1 wherein said cross-sectional shape taken below said planar member and through said lip includes a shape that is other than circular. 